Razor



Nov. 4, 1941.

- s. s. BARROWS RAZOR Filed Aug. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 4, 1941. s. s. BARROWS' 2,261,673

RAZOR Filed Aug. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATE NT, OFFICE RAZOR Stephen S. Barrows, Minneapolis, Application August 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,371 I 12 Claims. (01. s 55) This invention relates to razors and more particularly to an improved construction whereby the razor can be quickly converted from a safety razor to an old-fashioned straight razor and vice versa, and when in the condition of a straight razor it can be instantly supplied with a protecting cover for one or both edges of the double-edged blade, which cover will throw the blade edge at the proper angle for honingor stropping.

Among the objects of my invention is the accomplishment of the above enumerated advantages as well as others inherent in my invention as shown and described. e

A further object is the provision of a razor having a pair of slidable protecting covers normally positioned in the handle but selectivelv slidable, when the safety guard member is removed to the cutting end of the blade so that either; or both cutting edges may be covered up, andwhen' only one cutting edge is covered the razor may be used as the old-fashioned straight razor both for shaving as wellas honing and stropping.

A still further object is to be able to quickly slide the one or both protective covers back to their normal position in the handle and apply the safety guard so that the razor maybe used as a safety'razor. V

Further to provide a combined straight and safety razor in which may be used'either a specially formed blade or a blade of the Gillette type, means being provided to adapt the latter type of blade to such use.

Otherobjects, advantages and capabilities inherent in the invention will later more fully appear.

My invention further resides in the combination,- construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I have shown therein a preferred embodiment, I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the'drawings: V v

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved razor with the safety guard member applied thereto for use as a double-edged safety razor.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of Fig. 2 looking toward the handle end.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of blade that may be used in my razor.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on-the'line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of therazor with the safety guard member removed and one of the slidable protecting covers moved into position to cover'one of the'cutting edges of the blade.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the safety guard member.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of one end of my razor with the safety guard member re-' moved and both cutting edges exposed; the safety guard member being shown in Fig. 8 in position ready to be slipped over the blade end of Fig. 9.

Fig.' 10 is a plan view'of the razor'with the safety guardmember removed and'both of the slidable protecting'covers moved to coverboth of the cuttingedges.

Fig. 11 is a transverse section taken on the line ll of Fig. 3.

Fig. 12 is a transverse'section taken on the linel2|2 of Fig. 3. Fig. '13 is a transverse section taken on the line |3|3 of'Fi'g. 3. i

Fig. 14 is a transverse section on the line l4-- M of Fig. 10. v I Fig. 15 is a transverse section on the line 15- I5 of Fig. 7, and showing the edge portion and' the side of the protecting cover in contact with a hone to'give the proper angle in honing or strapping;

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal section on the line [6-46 of Fig."17,'and showing a blade of the Gillette type appliedto my razor and With the safety guard member in position.

-Fig. 17 is a longitudinal section at right' angles to that of Fig. 16, and taken on the line I1l1 of Fig. 16. I

Fig. 18 is "a perspective view of the split adapter bar used for adapting a blade of the Gillette type tomy razor.

Fig. 19is a view'similarto Fig. 18 but show- N ing the arms of the split adapter bar spread apart to receive a razor blade. 7 e

r Fig. 20 is a plan view of ablade of the Gillette type with Fig. 21 is an edge view of Fig. 20. V Referring more in detail to the'drawings, my

improved razor in general comprises the body portion l, the safety guard member 2, the longitudinally slidable protecting covers 3 and 4, the. 5 and the handle 6. The body portion I. and the handle Sfare preferably vformed integral from asingle piece of metahbut if desired may be made of a plurality of parts fasinto positionside of the cutting the adapter bar "applied thereto.

2. tened together. The integral form is seen in Fig. 3 to consist of the elongated longitudinally grooved or ribbed member 1 extending from one end to the other, and at the right-hand end in Fig. 3 bent upwardly and back upon itself at 8 to lie parallel with and close to the member 1 and extend forwardly a substantial distance to form the inner member 9, which at its front end is bent back upon itself at to form the outer member H, which as shown in Figs. 13 and 6 lies in contact with member 9 and at l2 follows in contour the portion 8 and is in contact therewith. The outer member I I after passing portion l2 continues on the other side to form the member l3 similar in shape to the portion l2 and symmetrical thereto. Portion l3, like portion 8, is then bent back toward the center line and then extended forwardly to form the outer member M, which at its forward end I5 is bent back upon itself sharply and continued rearwardly in contact with the outer member M to form the inner member l6, which at its rear end follows at l! the inner contour of the member [3 until it contacts member 1 and is then bent and extended forwardly at l8 parallel to member I to its forward end. This gives a combined body portion l and handle 6 of the general shape shown in Fig. 6.

It should also be noted that all of the various members of said body portion and handle are formed with longitudinal grooves and ridges which in transverse cross-section appear as shown in Figs. 6, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. These ridges and grooves extend longitudinally of the razor parallel to each other as seen in Figs. 1, 2, '7, 9 and 10 for a purpose pointed out more fully hereinafter. The members 9 and I6 are spaced apart from the parallel members 1 and [8, respectively, only avery slight distance so that the spaces therebetween will receive and hold the free ends l9 and 2001. the safety guard member 2, end being slightly longer than end l9 to enable them to be more readily slid over the outer or free ends of body portion I when the blade is positioned therebetween. Each of members 9 and H, and members l4 and .I'6,.are adjacent their forward ends formed with registering indentedportions to receive the projections 2| and 22 on the free end portions I9 and 20 of the safety guard member with a resilient gripping action, so that when the projections are forced into the indentations they will normally be held therein, but can be removed therefrom by a sufficiently strong longitudinal pull on the safety guard member. This, as will be readily understood, detachably holds the safety guard member in place on the razor.

The members 9 and H and the members l4 and i6 may be respectively secured together by welding, brazing or the like, along their longitudinal edges as at 23, 24 and 25, 26, as shown in.

Fig. 13, if desired, or, if preferred, they may be left unjoined except by contact. The same is true of edges 28* and 2'! of members 1, and I8 (see Fig. 13) up to the point 28 (see Fig. 2), but from this point forward the two longitudinal edges must be separated a distance to receive the thickness of the blade and clamp the same in the razor, as will be seen in Figs. 11, 14 and 15.

As seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 8, the safety guard member 2 is provided with the two rearwardly extended members 29 and 30 spaced apart a distance sufficient to snugly receive and clamp therebetween the two end portions of the members 1 and I8 with the blade held therebetween so that the blade will be firmly held in position. As will be seen in Figs. 11 and 2, the longitudinal grooves and ridges of these coacting parts respectively slidably receive each other to prevent any slipping between the parts sidewise. The safety guard member is thus seen to be slidable longitudinally over the adjacent parts but not movable laterally. The blade shown in Figs. 5, 11, 14 and 15 is formed with an integral longitudinal central rib a. on both sides, which fits into the longitudinal grooves 3| and 32 of members I and I8, respectively (see Fig. 11), and when clamped therein by the safety guard member is firmly held in place. The inner end of the blade when in serted full length into the space between the outer end portions of members I and I8 will strike shoulders at points 28 and be prevented from being inserted too far.

Safety guard member 2 is provided with guard teeth 33 along both of its longitudinal edges. The outer end portions of members I and I8 are made somewhatwider from near point 28 to the:

end than are those portions between point 28 and points I0 and IS in order to afford a better grip for the blade when therebetween by either the safety guard member 2 or the slidable protecting covers 3 or 4, the action of the latter being-hereinafter more fully pointed. out.

As seen in Figs. 6 and 13, each of the protecting covers 3 and 4 have extending inwardly from their inner faces a pair of longitudinally extending flanges 34, 35, which project in between the curved edges 24, 26 and 23, 25,respectively, which edges together with the ridges and grooves of the intermediate members I and I8 permit longitudinal sliding of the protecting covers with relation to the handle and body portion of the razor but prevent their removal laterally.

It'will thus be seen that when the safety guard member is removed, either one of the protecting covers 3, 4 can be selectively slid forwardly from the-handle to the cutting end of thera'zor to cover the cutting edge on that particular side.

.: When one protecting cover only is over the blade edge the razor may beusedfor shaving in the same manner as the old-fashioned straight razor, as will be understood from Figs. 7 and'l5. Also the protecting cover will serve to throw the .;cutting blade at the desired angle with either a hone or a stamp for sharpening'purposes.

If desired, both of the protecting covers 3 and- 4 may be slid forwardly to cover both of the cutting edges of the blade for protecting'pur- ;poses in transportation, packing, storing or the like.

When the protecting covers 3 and 4 are both slid rearwardly into the handle as far as they will go, as shown in Fig, 2, they form part of the handle and function as additional gripping means. When both of these protecting covers are in the handle as just referred to, the safety guard member may be slid over the outer end of the body portion, with the blade in place in said outer end, to the position shown in Figs.

1, 2, 3 and 11, after which the razor may be used as a safety razor and available for shaving by either a downward or upward stroke as desired.

In Figs. 18 to 21, inclusive, I have shown an adapter member for adapting a Gillette type for use in my razor. This adapter member or bar is split longitudinally from one end to near the other end to provide the two resilient arms 36 and 31, one of which will be the latter is clamped,

blade of the.

tachable therefrom when desired.

provided with the projections 38 to pass through openings in the Gillette type razor and into complemental depressions 39 formed in the arm 36 of the adapter. When this adapter is positioned over blade 40 with projections 38 passing through openings in the blade as described, it will be seen by a comparison of Figs. 20 and that this provides in the Gillette blade a longitudinal central rib 22 similar to the rib a in the type of blade shown in Fig. 5, and thus adapts a blade of the Gillette type to my razor. In order to properly position the blade of the Gillette type in the holder I have provided inwardly extending projections 4| and 42 along the central longitudinal groove of the body portion as shown in Fig. 17, so that when the end of the rib b strikes projections 4| and 42 it will properly position the blade in the holder as shown in Figs. 16 and 17.

It is to be noted that the body portion of my razor as well as the coacting parts such as the safety guard member and the protecting covers, are all provided with coacting longitudinally extending grooves and ridges, whereby these coacting parts may be slid longitudinally of the body portion and that the free ends of the tangs of the safety guard member will be snugly received under theforward free ends of the handle portion 6, so that the safety guard will be releasably held in position on the razor and yet easily dey In other words, every movable part works on the sliding principle. By'having one of the tangs of the safety guard slightly longer than the other, the free end of the body portion may be more readily inserted into the safety guard, or the safety guard slid thereover by slightly pressing down on the longertang by the, body portion so as to slightly separate said tangs and then push the safety guard to cause it to slide longitudinally over the body portion and into its operative position.

Also, if desired, my improved device will be readily adaptable for honing and stropping razor blades of the Gillette or other similar types, so that when thus sharpened they may be used either in my razor or other razors of the safety type. The width of the tangs of the safety guard member is slightly less than the lateral distance between the edges of the flanges 34 of the protecting covers 3 and 4 (see Fig. 13), so that if for any reason it be desired to move the protecting covers longitudinally while the safety guard member is in position, this can bedone. It is also important to note that in the use of my improved razor the nuisance and trouble of continually buying new blades is eliminated, for the reason that a single blade will last and be usable for many years with its double edge, just as a barber uses an old fashioned straight razor many years by honing and stropping.

Having now described my invention,

I claim:

1. A razor comprising a body portion, a handle and a blade holder all formed 'in One elongated integral part, a toothed safety guard member slidable over the blade holder to provide guard teeth so that the device may be used as a safety razor, a protecting cover member slidably mounted on the handle, body portion and the blade holder for selective movement longitudinally into position on either, whereby when the safety guard member is removed the protecting cover member can be slid longitudinally of the handle and body portion onto the blade holder to cover one cutting edge ofthe blade to convert the razor into an old-fashioned straight razor. Y

2. A razor comprising in'combination a body portion, a blade holder, a handle, a toothed safety guard member anda protecting cover member, all of said parts having longitudinal grooves and ridges, the ridges and grooves of the cover member and safety guard member slidably interfitting with the ridges and groovesof the handle,

body portion and blade holder whereby the safety guard member and the protecting-cover member may be moved longitudinally of the other members, the protecting cover member being normally held alongside the handle. I

3. A razor comprising in combination a body portion, a blade holder and a handle each having aligned ridges and grooves a toothed safety guard member, and a protecting cover member, said guard memberand said cover member also having ridges and grooves to coact with the grooves and ridges of the body portion, the blade holder and the handle, whereby the cover member may be selectively, longitudinally moved from the handle to the blade holder and vice versa when the guard member is removed.

4. A razor comprising in combination a body portion, a blade holder and ahandle each having aligned ridges and grooves, a toothed safety guard member, and a protecting cover member, said guard member and said cover member also having ridges and grooves, to coact with the grooves and ridges of the body portion, the blade holder and the handle, to permit longitudinal movement of the guard member and cover mem ber with relation thereto, the cover member benormally housed in ing selectively mounted on the blade holder, the body portion and the handle for movement therealong and a second protecting cover member also having grooves and ridges for similar longitudinal movement.

5. A razor comprising in combination a body portion, a blade holder and a handle each having aligned ridges and grooves, a toothed safety guard member, and a protecting cover member, said guard member and said cover member also having ridges and grooves to coact with the grooves and ridges of the body portion, the blade holder and the handle, to permit longitudinal movement of the guard member and cover member with relation thereto, the cover member being selectively mounted on the blade holder, the body portion and the handle for movement therealong and a second protecting cover member also having grooves and ridges for similar longitudinal movement, said cover members having parts said handle.

6. A razor comprising in combination a body portion, a blade holder, a handle, a toothed safety guard member and a protecting cover member, said protecting cover member being slidably mounted on the handle and movable into position over an edge of the blade holder, all of said parts having longitudinal grooves and ridges whereby the safety guard member and the protecting cover member may be moved longitudinally of the other members, said handle having a part extending forwardly along and spaced a slight distance from the said body portion to provide a runway forthe cover member, which latter may be runway.

'7. A razor comprising in combination a body portion, a blade holder, a handle, a safety guard member and a protecting cover member, all of moved into and out of said said parts having longitudinal grooves and ridges whereby the safety guard member and the protecting cover member may be moved longitudinally of the other members, said handle having a part extending forwardly along and spaced a slight distance from the body portion to provide a runway for the cover member, which latter may be moved into and out of said runway, the safety guard member having an extension adapted to extend under the forward end of said forwardly extending part of the handle and be releasably held thereunder.

8. A razor comprising in combination a body portion, a blade holder, a handle, a safety guard member and a protecting cover member, all of said parts having longitudinal grooves and ridges whereby the safety guard member and the protecting cover member'may be moved longitudinally of the other members, said handle having a part extending forwardly along and spaced a slight distance from the body portion to provide a runway for the cover member, which latter may be moved into and out of the runway, the safety guard member having an extension adapted to extend under the forward end of said forwardly extending part of the handle and be releasably held thereunder, said safety guard member being removable and the cover member being movable from the handle to cover an edge of the blade holder.

9. A razor comprising in combination a body portion and a blade holder, the blade holder having a central longitudinal groove, a split rod seatable in said groove and having a pair of resilient legs normally urged by their resiliency into parallel relationship and adapted before insertion in said groove to be opened up against said resiliency to receive a razor blade of the Gillette type, and when released to spring together to hold said blade, one of said legs having a pair of spaced projections adapted to be inserted in a pair of spaced openings in the blade to hold the blade against lateral slippage in the holder, said rod bearing against the two opposite walls of the groove in a plane at right angles to the plane of the blade.

10. A razor comprising a body portion, a handle, a blade holder, a toothed safety guard member, and a protecting cover member, the guard member being removable from the blade holder and the cover member being mounted for selective sliding movement along the handle, the body portion and the blade holder to cover an edge of the blade holder when the guard member is removed. I

11. A razor comprising a body portion, a handle and a blade holder, a toothed safety guard member and a protecting cover, said body portion, handle and blade holder each being formed with a longitudinally extending trackway, the guard member being slidably mounted on that portion of the trackway on the blade holder and the protecting cover being slidably mounted on that portion of the trackway on the handle and the body portion, and also slidably mounted on that portion of the trackway on the blade holder when the guard member is removed therefrom.

12. A razor comprising in combination a body portion, a handle, a blade holder, a toothed safety guard member, and a protecting member, a longitudinal guideway on each of the body portion, handle and blade holder, the protecting cover being formed with means to slidably engage said guideway so as to be selectively positioned on any one of the handle, body portion or blade holder as desired.

STEPHEN S. BARROWS. 

